We just learned about the passing of legendary sex symbol Brigitte Bardot. She was one of the iconic figures of the 20th century and she had a huge impact on popular culture in the post-war era. Not least of which was her impact on the popularity of the bikini, making her one of the most notable figures in the history of the bikini.
The bikini was invented in 1946 by Louis Réard and initially met with resistance in that conservative era. It was banned in several countries, condemned by the Vatican, and restricted on U.S. screens. But then came Brigitte Bardot, who played a pivotal role in popularizing the bikini in the early 1950s, transforming it from a scandalous novelty into a mainstream symbol of youthful freedom and sensuality.
Debut in Film (1952)
Her first major contribution came with the French film “The Girl in the Bikini” (English title). She was still a teenager (age of 17–18 at the time of filming) and she landed the starring as the title character, wearing a bikini prominently throughout the movie. This was one of the earliest instances of the two-piece bikini having a prominant presence on film, and it drew significant attention and controversy due to its revealing nature.
Cannes Film Festival (1953)
The turning point occurred during the 1953 Cannes Film Festival, where the 18-year-old Bardot appeared to promote the film. She was photographed extensively in bikinis (often floral or patterned) on beaches along the French Riviera, including every major beach in southern France as part of a deliberate publicity campaign orchestrated with her then-husband and agent, Roger Vadim. These images caused a global sensation: sailors lined up to glimpse her, crowds gathered, and the photos circulated worldwide, provoking outrage but also fascination. Fashion editor Diana Vreeland famously called the bikini “the most important thing since the atom bomb”. This exposure helped shift public perception, making the bikini acceptable in Europe and creating demand in the U.S.
And God Created Woman
Bardot’s 1956 breakthrough film “And God Created Woman” (Et Dieu… créa la femme), directed by Vadim and set in Saint-Tropez, further cemented her association with the bikini. Bardot’s character frequently appeared in bikinis (or even less), lounging on beaches, emerging from the sea, or sunbathing, embodying carefree hedonism. Naturally, men went crazy over her look, and wmen wanted to emulate her. The film’s international success amplified her image as the ultimate “bikini girl,” helping normalize the bikini during the emerging sexual revolution of the late 1950s and 1960s.
Sex Symbol
Bardot became a sex symbol as her youthful, natural beauty and unapologetic attitude, combined with strategic publicity, made her the perfect ambassador for the bikini, bridging its risqué origins to widespread acceptance by the end of the decade. She also popularized Saint-Tropez as a glamorous beach destination, further linking the bikini to leisure and liberation.
Just search Bardot on Google and you’ll see endless photos from her glory days.
Looking back, Bardot’s beauty and charisma transcend time. She could walk into a modern film and instantly become a star. It just happened that in the 1950s everything about her seemed new, and that made her perfect for the emerging youth culture after the war and turned her into a sensation.
